Why did Jesus speak in parables? If the gospel is intended to reach all the people then Jesus could have spoken the truths plainly all the time. Why is some truth said plainly and some said in parable?
I have an answer based on my revelation but I want to know different views on it.
So that the Scripture might be fulfilled? That's what the Bible says at least.
Sree,
Those who don't want to hear, will not hear.
In Christ,
Renoncer
"Those who don't want to hear, will not hear."
So you are interpreting Jesus words - "let those who have ears let him hear" as stated above?
In today's world we are trying to preach Gospel to everyone we see. But Jesus said only those who have ears will hear. Are we not trying to take preach the Gospels to those who don't have ears? (or those who dont want to hear based on you).
For unbelieving Israel who rejected the plain teaching of the prophets, God spoke to them in different tongues either literally as in the Book of acts or by parables that they may hear but not understand. But please do not forget the context of that judgment. It was that they refused to hear the plain teachings and warnings of God through the prophets.
Now, that is God's judgment and NOT man's.
It is not for you and me to decide who to harden by speaking in parables. We are to give the gospel to every creature as plain as can be and let God do the act of drawning or hardening to whom He wills according to their response or lack of it to the gospel.
God bless.
Sree,
UntoBabes is right about the fact that we do not know who is hardened against the Gospel. Jesus saw people's hearts and their end because He is God, but we don't see people's hearts nor the end of all things. Thus, we sow the seed, and God causes the increase according to His own purpose.
As for the interpretation of why Jesus spoke in parables, I was referring to Matthew 13:15 - "For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them."
(Notice the conjunction "FOR"..., which means "BECAUSE". It answers the question: "Why will they hear but never understand, and see but never perceive?")
In Christ,
Renoncer
Well said. So it is God's task to harden or melt the heart of listeners. This is what Jesus commanded his disciples to do, in Mathew 10 - "if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town".
So we have to tell them the Gospel praying that they accept it. But if they did not accept then it is their loss and it means there is no longing for God in their heart. Also God has hardened their hearts further.
Sree, this is a wonderful thread. Thank you for posting.
He is Lord of ALL!
Hey ThyKingCome, Previously I saw you posting some message regarding this subject. Now I dont see it.
If you still think it is relevant then please post it again.
But Sree, what is your answer for the question?
I see in Mat 13 the Lord Himself answering this question. Renoncer mentioned it.
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" Mark 4:10; Luke 8:9;
11 Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. "For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 "Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 "In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; 15 FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND 16 "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 "For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it
"I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things
which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world". Mt 13:35
Almost everyone who heard a parable spoken back in Jesus time could see the common sense of the Parable..
Parable of the Laborers (Mt 20) - go out 5 times to hire workers,.. there will be workers there waiting.
That's not a secret, but naming the 5 grougps of workers representing 5 Ages of God's work thru man, that's a good secret, especially when those 5 groups can be so clearly identified and timed.
God reveals things He wants seen at the time He wants them seen, I believe, through parables.
I think most parables are openend now except for 'Scattered and Peeled' Isaiah 18:2 which may have future implications.
We are blessed that God wants to keep us so well informed when those that don't believe are not interested in the secrets from the parables.
Good question Sree, please elaborate.
I struggle to understand some parables. I take the parable of the labourers (Mt 20) to signify that the reward of heaven is the same for all believers whether they joined the harvest field in their youth or twilight years.
Perhaps someone would expound the parable of the Treasure hid in the Field (Mt13) and the pearl of great price.
I have heard them both to mean the same thing, being salvation, is like a Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of great value. They are both worth obtaining at any cost and both were worth seeking.
Salvation is like them both, of its of Great Value and worth seeking and it will cost you everything to obtain. Of the Salvation being by Faith and so the treasure and the pearl are Faith.
If you are able to get your hands on a copy of "The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah" by Alfred Edersheim, he does an excellent discourse on the parables. Probably the best I have ever read.
If you download E-Sword at E-sword.net within it you can download that very book free of charge :)
I have heard them both to mean the same thing, being salvation, is like a Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of great value. They are both worth obtaining at any cost and both were worth seeking.
I've also heard it interpreted that the pearl of great price was fallen mankind, and that Christ was the One who sold everything to obtain it. Another interesting view that hadn't struck me until I heard it.
"If you download E-Sword at E-sword.net within it you can download that very book free of charge :)"
In that case, E-sword would be worth downloading, if for no other reason, just to have access to that book. The reason I recommend it so highly is because Edersheim helps us to understand the culture, the times, the method of teaching, and the mindset of Israel at that time. He helps to understand the mentality, and teaching style of a parable. Alfred was incredibly well versed in all things concerning Hebrew lore and culture, he was also incredibly well read, and leaves hundreds if not thousands of references to ancient writings from which he resources in order to aid the body of Christ in further understanding the gospels. Not that external keys are necessarily "needed" to help with the text, but they can be a valuable aid in growing our understanding. I was not aware that E-sword had that add-on. Thank you Matthew, I will have to check into that later.
For a long time I thought parables were like allegories. It turns out that is a very western mindset. When we begin to understand how a parable was intended to be used originally, it removes a lot of cultural predilections we bring to the text because of how we tend to see "hidden" meaning in types and caricatures. This was not the intention of parables, nor were parables intended to be "hermenuetically" consistent with ancient typological thematics from the Old Testament. This is an area of scripture I feel that we need to be educated on as a church as to how it would have been interpreted at that time, rather than carrying much church tradition to the texts.
The Purpose of Parables - Luke 8:9-10
9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”
10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that
‘ Seeing they may not see,
And hearing they may not understand.’
The most important thing we can know about parables is the reason WHY Jesus used them. He clearly tells us that He did not use parables to illustrate and illuminate His teaching to the masses but rather to conceal. The people of Jesus' time were just as hard-hearted & closed-eared as the people in Isaiah's day. Isaiah was commissioned to speak a Word to the people that would not open their hearts but rather close them. (See Isaiah 6) This is the tragedy of what happens when God's light and word is consistently rejected.
Jesus goes on to further illustrate His point by giving them another parable about His revealed Light.
The Parable of the Revealed Light
16 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”
Jesus explains that we are to take heed HOW we ear. If we truly hear His voice and walk in His revealed light, then more will be given. But if we harden out hearts, close our eyes and willingly resist the light He shines into our hearts through His word then not only will He cease giving new light but even the light we think we have will be taken away.
This is why Isaiah was commissioned to the people of his day, and that is why Jesus quoted from Isaiah 6:9 in this text in Luke 8. See also John 12:35-50 which is very key.
So when the disciples pressed in and asked Jesus the meaning of the parables He told them "To YOU the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed." To You who seek. To you who inquire. To you that are not offended by the light and the truth and desire to know more...the mystery of My kingdom will be unveiled. "But to the rest (the crowds, masses) it is given in parables." The crowds and masses get the Word in a concealed way to test their hearts and provide an opportunity for them to either press in and listen or be further hardened.
Lord, please keep our hearts soft and ears opened!
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